1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to human medical devices and methods. More particularly, the invention relates to an emergency medical transport device and method. Most particularly, the invention relates to an emergency medical transport device for engaging and acquiring an injured person such as an injured athlete or accident victim who is suspected of having a neck or spinal injury, without the necessity of lifting the injured person. The apparatus and methods of this invention may be applicable to other fields such as veterinary medical, materials handling, and the like.
2. Background Information
The state of the art includes stretchers, gurneys and boards.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,418,670 issued Dec. 31, 1968 to Morgan discloses a roller stretcher with a pair of endless belt which are wound over respective upper and lower guides. A driving mechanism rotates one of the guides sot that one of the belts is moved. The belts are in frictional contact with each other whereby the non driven belt is moved by frictional contact with the driven belt. The stretcher has a complicated structure. Replacement of belts is difficult and time consuming. And, slippage can occur as a result of the frictionally coupled belts. Slippage can compromise the comfort and safety of the patient being transported.
The background art are includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,005 issued Apr. 3, 1973 to Stevens which discloses a stretcher with an endless belt-cable or chain system which utilizes a non-endless belt which is coupled at both of its ends to a non-endless cable or chain. The non-endless belt is alternately wound and unwound around drums to move a patient. The background art also includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,466B1 issued Jun. 25, 2002 to Blotta which discloses a stretcher for the non-traumatic transport and lifting of people. It has a frame with beams with toothed bars, an inclined plate between the frame, a flexible sheet around the plate. A driving base moves the bars and causes the inclined plate to move.
This technology is believed to have significant limitations and shortcomings, including but not limited to, that they require lifting, sliding, rolling or otherwise moving an injured person onto the device for transportation.
For this and other reasons, a need exists for the present invention.
This invention provides a medical transport apparatus for an injured person which is believed to fulfil the need and to constitute an improvement over the background technology.